Skiing and snowboarding blend athletic challenge, technical skill, mountain awareness, and the exhilaration of linking turns down a snow-covered mountain. Everyone who spends time on the slopes understands that risk comes with the sport. Weather changes. Visibility disappears without warning. Snow conditions evolve throughout the day. Equipment fails. People make mistakes. Even the best skier…
Many people grew up watching Fred Rogers step slowly through the front door into a gentle world of quirky puppets and familiar routines. He exchanged his overcoat for a soft cardigan, traded his dress shoes for sneakers, and quietly began the iconic song, “It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood…” Fred Rogers had a rare…
Halloween in the Pacific Northwest is as iconic as the UniPiper in a Darth Vader outfit rolling through Saturday Market. On this scary night, sugar-fueled excitement clashes with reliably damp, temperamental weather. Through a howling moon, Portland’s unique spirit shines most diffusely. But as fog thickens and the rain slicks our streets, the risks for…
After an accident, an insurance representative may quickly call you to offer “help” with medical bills, car repairs, or lost income in exchange for a settlement. Why? A maxim of insurance claim management (as relayed to me by a high-level claim manager) is: “The value of legitimate, worthy claims, generally increases with time”. Time provides…
If you were partly at fault for an accident in Oregon, it is easy to feel like that is the end of the road. But Oregon law does not work that way. Shared fault does not automatically cancel a claim. The law looks at what each person did and then adjusts recovery based on their…
A Letter of Protection (L.O.P.) is a written agreement—usually from a personal injury attorney to a healthcare provider—indicating a provider will be paid from the client’s future settlement or court award. Medical providers may attempt to persuade their patients to sign a Letter of Protection. If asked to sign off on a Lien or Letter…
A pre-existing condition to the same body part will affect how insurers, courts, and juries handle your truck accident claim. You still have a right to recover for the new injury, but an old injury to the same body part complicates the journey. Oregon law allows you to recover compensation for the aggravation and any…
A major issue impacting injured persons at Oregon ski resorts and recreation venues is the frequent refusal by these entities to provide copies of contemporaneously created incident reports. These reports are typically completed immediately following an accident and contain crucial information, such as: Who had the right of way (e.g., whether the downhill skier or…
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death in Portland and throughout Oregon. As the Oregon Health Authority reports, the number of fatal TBI cases surpassed 1,200 during one recent year, marking a 44 percent increase over the past decade. Even when a traumatic brain injury is not deadly, it can…
Car accidents can occur when least expected. Regardless of how safe of a driver you may be, if a negligent driver is sharing the roads with you, you may fall victim to a crash caused by their reckless actions. While a car accident can be physically and financially devastating when you suffer injuries and losses,…